Mecardonia plant named ‘INTAMEC003’

ABSTRACT

A  Mecardonia  plant particularly distinguished by having yellow flower color, a very compact plant growth habit, and large leaves, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Mecardonia procumbens.

Variety denomination: ‘INTAMEC003’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Mecardonia plant, botanically known as Mecardonia procumbens, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘INTAMEC003’.

‘INTAMEC003’ originated from a hybridization made in 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The female parent was a wild access of Mecardonia procumbens var. flagellaris, characterized by its large yellow flowers, early flowering, medium internodes, large leaves and upright plant growth habit. The male parent was a proprietary, unpatented Mecardonia procumbens var. tenella line named ‘AM5-264’, characterized by its abundant yellow flower color, short internodes, sort leaves and compact creeping plant growth habit.

In March 2010, both parental lines were crossed and seeds were obtained. The seeds were harvested after 30 days. The progeny was multiplied by cuttings during June 2011. In winter 2011, twenty genotypes which were evaluated and selected for characteristics of early flowering and compact plant growth habit. These selected plants were evaluated in field trials and pots. In January 2012, twelve of the twenty genotypes were selected for evaluation in Japan. From the evaluations done in Argentina and Japan the cultivar line ‘G2012-28’ was produced meeting the desired characteristics of very early vigorous blooms, large flowers and very compact habit. ‘G2012-28’ is also sterile.

In January 2013, rooted cuttings were produced. In August 2013, the breeder confirmed that ‘G-2012-28’ fixed and stable. ‘G2012-28’ was propagated and cultivated again at the Chogo research station in Chogo, Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan to reconfirm the lines' stability. The line was subsequently named ‘INTAMEC003’ and its unique characteristics were found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Yellow flower color;     -   2. A very compact plant growth habit; and     -   3. Large leaves.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Mecardonia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a four-month-old plant grown from stick date in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in 2017. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘INTAMEC003’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on four-month-old plants from stick date grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in 2017. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Plantaginaceae.         -   Botanical.—Mecardonia procumbens.         -   Common.—Mecardonia, axilflower.         -   Designation.—‘INTAMEC003’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—A wild access of Mecardonia procumbens var.             flagellaris (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Mecardonia line ‘AM5-264’             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 6 weeks. The             terminal 1.0 to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was             excised. The vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to             six weeks. The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2             seconds in a 1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution:9             water) root inducing solution immediately prior to sticking             into the cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell             trays having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat             moss-based growing medium. The cuttings were misted with             water from overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until             sufficient roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were             transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a             glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a             peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer             containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium             was applied once a day or every other day by overhead             irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release             fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18%             potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Compact.         -   Height.—10.0 cm from soil line to top of foliage.         -   Spread.—22.0 cm.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Form.—Domed, moderately dense.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—10 weeks.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is             greater than 12 hours and temperature exceeds 13° C.         -   Resistance/susceptibility.—None observed. Not known to have             resistance to pathogens and pests common to Mecardonia             plants. -   Branches:     -   -   Branch color.—RHS 146B (Yellow-Green).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Absent.         -   Surface texture.—Glabrous; pubescence absent.         -   Branch description.—Dull, circular cross-section.         -   Branch strength.—Moderate.         -   Branch diameter.—1.0 mm.         -   Branch length.—8.0 cm.         -   Internode length.—7.0 mm to 9.0 mm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Tip.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Attachment.—Decurrent.         -   Surface texture.—Smooth, glabrous (upper and lower).         -   Length.—1.1 cm.         -   Width.—0.4 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 147A (Yellow-Green). Lower             surface: RHS 136B (Yellow-Green).         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Surface pubescence.—Absent.         -   Petiole.—Length: 1.5 mm. Diameter: 1.0 mm. Color: Closest to             RHS 147B (Yellow-Green) (upper and lower surface). Texture:             Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—Closest to RHS 146C (Yellow-Green) (upper             and lower). -   Flowers:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary axillary flowers that face             mostly upward to outwardly; freely flowering with             approximately 250 to 300 flowers open at a given time;             composed of 4 fused petals.         -   Blooming season.—Spring to Fall.         -   Flower diameter.—1.6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—0.9 cm.         -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.         -   Duration of flower life.—5 days.         -   Flower corolla arrangement.—Bilabiate corolla with one upper             petal lobe, three lower petal lobes, and a corolla tube.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Flower shape.—Ovate.         -   Corolla lobe arrangement.—Mostly open, but some touching and             slightly overlapping.         -   Petal lobes.—Texture: Smooth, glabrous, upper petal lobe             with tiny hairs at base. Shape: Ovate. Length: 0.8 cm.             Width: 0.7 cm. Apex: Rounded to emarginate, cleaved. Margin:             Entire. Color: Upper petal lobe (both upper and lower             surfaces): Closest to RHS 9A (Yellow) with veins of RHS 187A             (Greyed-Purple); veins have moderate to weak             conspicuousness. Lower petal lobes: Upper surface is closest             to RHS 5B (Yellow) with veins of RHS N187A (Greyed-Purple);             lower surface is closest to RHS 8B (Yellow). Corolla tube:             Length: 0.5 cm. Color, both inner and outer surfaces: RHS 9A             (Yellow) with RHS 187A (Greyed-purple) veins.         -   Sepal.—Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Base: Truncate. Texture: Smooth and glabrous for both upper             and lower surfaces. Color: RHS 144A (Yellow-Green) for both             upper and lower surfaces. Length: 5.5 mm. Diameter: 2.5 mm.             Average number of sepals per flower: 5.         -   Peduncle.—Length: 2.2 cm. Diameter: 0.5 mm. Color: RHS 144A             (Yellow-Green). Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength:             Moderately strong, wire-like. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Ovary color.—RHS N144C (Yellow-Green).         -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.         -   Pistil length.—3.0 mm.         -   Stigma shape.—Oval.         -   Stigma color.—RHS N144C (Yellow-Green).         -   Style length.—1.0 mm.         -   Stamens number.—4, free.         -   Filament length.—Greater than 1.0 mm.         -   Filament color.—RHS 144D (Yellow-Green).         -   Anther shape.—Oval, bi-lobed.         -   Anther length.—0.2 mm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Pollen color.—RHS 155D (White).         -   Seed production.—Absent.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘INTAMEC003’ is distinguished from its parents as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female parent, Male parent Characteristic ‘INTAMEC003’ wild line ‘AM5-264’ Flower color Yellow Yellow Yellow Plant growth habit Compact Upright Compact/creeping Leaf size Large Large Small

‘INTAMEC003’ is most similar to the commercial Mecardonia variety ‘SAKMEC002’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,515); however there are differences as described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘INTAMEC003’ ‘SAKMEC002’ Petal lobe color Lower petal lobes, upper surface: Closest to RHS Closest to RHS 5B (Yellow) 9A (Yellow) with veins of RHS Ni with upper petal 87A (Greyed-Purple) having veins of Upper petal lobe, upper surface: RHS N186A Closest to RHS 9A (Yellow) (Greyed-Purple) with veins of RHS 187A (Greyed-Purple) Flower size 1.6 cm 1.5 cm (diameter) Plant growth habit Very Compact Compact, freely branching Earliness to flower Extra-early Extra-early 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Mecardonia plant as shown and described herein. 